(1)

Xia Hou Dan first had the idea of making a ring after seeing the skylark hairpin Lin Xuan Ying had sent.

Although Yu Wan Yin didn’t put it in her hair at the time, her admiring gaze still gave Xia Hou Dan a serious sense of crisis.

He decided to create an engagement ring.

His design concept was very clear: If Lin Xuan Ying treats you as a skylark, I’ll treat you as a phoenix. Soaring upward, flying through the nine heavens, resting only on the parasol tree (referring to himself).

The idea was good.

But when he handed the “Phoenix Resting on Parasol Tree” sketch to the craftsman, the craftsman fell silent.

Xia Hou Dan asked: “What’s wrong?”

The craftsman wiped sweat nervously and said: “Your Majesty’s drawing of a rooster climbing a tree… is truly a stroke of genius.”

(2)

Er Lan decided to leave the capital for some time, first to survey locations for women’s schools in various regions, and second to get away from court and clear her mind.

On the eve of her departure, several good friends held a farewell banquet for her.

Li Yun Xi was gloomy throughout, quickly drank himself drunk, and collapsed on the table, falling into a deep sleep.

Yang Duo Jie was also intoxicated and suddenly slapped the table saying: “Brother Er, in life, one should only seek to be without shame before heaven and earth, why fear what others say!”

Er Lan looked at him with considerable emotion.

Yang Duo Jie said: “I know about those rumors in court, *hiccup*, they’re all false! Whether my brother is male or female, *hiccup*, wouldn’t I know?”

Er Lan: “?”

(3)

After returning to the southern border, Lin Xuan Ying spent every night drowning his sorrows in wine with the Nameless Guest.

Lin Xuan Ying said: “In another ten days or half a month, news of His Majesty’s death should arrive from the capital, right?”

Nameless Guest: “…”

Lin Xuan Ying said: “Master, when you first sent me to assist him, I was reluctant. But after so many years, I’ve long considered him a friend in life and death… Now having to wait day after day for news of his death, my heart truly aches.”

The Nameless Guest wanted to speak but hesitated.

Lin Xuan Ying downed several more cups of wine. “With the Empress alone in that den of tigers and dragons afterward, what will she do? Master, can you divine whether I can take her away?”

The Nameless Guest tried to open his mouth: “It’s not necessarily—”

A clap of thunder sounded from the sky.

The Nameless Guest closed his mouth again.

Lin Xuan Ying said with bleary eyes: “Unfortunately she refuses to leave, she refuses to leave.”

Months later, news of death still hadn’t arrived.

What arrived was a secret letter from Xia Hou Dan.

After reading it, Lin Xuan Ying’s expression changed rapidly, and after a while, he went to find the Nameless Guest to vent his frustration. “Why didn’t Master tell me earlier? Was watching me get drunk amusing?”

Nameless Guest: “…”

The Nameless Guest replied with a profound mystery: “Very amusing.”

(4)

When Xia Hou Dan and Lin Xuan Ying first met.

Lin Xuan Ying asked: “What forms of entertainment do people from your world have?”

Xia Hou Dan tried hard to remember. “Sneaking over walls to go to internet cafes, teaming up to play games.”

Lin Xuan Ying asked: “What is ‘playing games’?”

Xia Hou Dan said: “Generally it’s you killing me, and me killing you.”

Lin Xuan Ying: “?”

Xia Hou Dan said: “But not real killing. We kill a—you can think of it as a puppet. It can die over and over again.”

From that day on, Lin Xuan Ying held the current Emperor in fearful respect.